BIR: TIE-UPS WITH BIZ GROUPS TO BOOST BID TO

MEET P2.6-T GOAL

adapt to the changing times.

B PI President and CEO TG Limcaoco alluded to this in his speech during a media launch of the BPI application on Tuesday, saying that BPI became the oldest bank in the Philippines and the whole of Southeast Asia because it is not afraid to innovate.

We’ve seen traditional banks already making the effort to go digital. It’s no longer a question, it’s an imperative. It’s change or die,” Go said. “You know what the Darwin theory of evolution is, it’s not the strongest that survive, it’s the one that can adapt to change.”

G o said, however, that despite this, BPI intends to go beyond digital. Even as the bank continues to evolve, they remain true to their customers who still prefer face-to-face interactions with their branch employees.

S he said many of the bank’s customers still prefer these personal interactions so much that some of their clients and bank employees have created genuine relationships through the years such as being godmothers and godfathers.

It is this ability to gain the trust of clients that, Go said, sets BPI apart and highlights its mission of going beyond digital.

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said its newly inked partnership with various business groups, aimed at setting up a public-private consultative platform, will boost its chances of meeting its P2.639trillion revenue collection target this year.

T he BIR forged a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with about 15 business groups and chambers in the country to strengthen the bureau’s dialogue and engagement with the private sector.

BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. said partnering with the private sector is “critical” in achieving the government’s and the groups’ common objective of attaining the “collective” tax collection target of the state.

We expect this [partnership] will increase the chances of attaining our collection target,” Lumagui told reporters in an interview on Tuesday.

Under the MOA, the BIR has formed a consultative committee with the various business groups to discuss and scrutinize the national government’s tax administration programs and policies.

Lumagui said one benefit of the partnership is that they can get comments and suggestions from the private sector on how to improve the bureau’s services.

We want to improve our taxpayer service. We can do this through consultation with the private sector because they are the ones we are servicing,” he said. Our issuances [for example] would undergo consultation wherein they can submit their comments. [They can submit suggestions] on our streamlining, on how we can cut down on [the number] of our requirements,” he added.

Lumagui added that under the MOA, the business groups are also tasked to monitor and police their ranks in terms of tax compliance.

“Our petition to them is that they monitor their respective members in terms of their tax compliance and in paying their taxes correctly,” he said.

T he groups include the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Management Association of the Philippines, Tax Management Association of the Philippines, Financial Executive Institute of the Philippines, Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accounts, and Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. among others. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas